Circuit closer or timer.



W. J. RAPP. CIRCUIT CLOSER OR TIMER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27, 1908.

957,71 3. Patented May 10, 1910.

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W. J. RAPP. CIRCUIT CLOSER 0B TIMER... APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 27, 1908 Patented May- -10, 1910.

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. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. y WILLIAM J. RAPP, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORv TO H. H. GREIGHTON AND ALEXANDER ARNOLD, CIT-TOLEDO, OHIO.

CIRCUIT CLOSER OR TIMER.

I To all whom'it may concern:

Be it known that I. TVILLIAMJ. Rare, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit. in the county of \Vayne and State of .Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Circuit. Closers or Timers, of which the-following isa specification. My invention has for its object new and useful improvements in an electrical instrument, or circuit closer or timer, and it consists of the construction, combination, and

arrangement of devices andappliances hereinafter described, and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1. is a diagrammatic view illustrating my invention. Fig. 2. is a view in side elevation.

transverse section on the line H' Fig. 3. Fig. is a view in transverse section on the line'55'Fig. 3. Fig. 6. is a view in longi-- tud nal section showing the c rcuit closer or timerand other parts in elevation. Fig. 7. is

' a View in cross section on the line 7 -7 Fig.

2. Fig 8 is a view in section onthe line 88 F1g.- 2. Fig.9. is aview in partial transverse section on the line 99 Fig. 2.

The object of my invention is to provide an electrical instrument of this nature of simple and economical construction and of su eriorutility;

y' invention is a plicable to internal combustion engines 0 various sizes, or to engines having any desired number of cylobtained by multiple coils.

inders, the sparking mechanism for the engines being uniformly actuated from a single' I will first proceed to describe my invention as follows: In the drawings a represents an engine of the class described, the particular engine. illustrated herewith being I y a four cylinder engine, but I would have it understood that my invention is applicable to engines having various numbers ofcylinders. The four cylinder engine will, however, enable me to illustrate invention.- The engine is shown provided with spark plugs b, and with a shaft 0 upon which may be. located my improved circuit'closer or,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 3. is'a" view showing parts 7, i in longitudinal section. Fig. 4. is a View in timer (Z, the circuit closer being provided with a shaft connected with the engine shaft by a closer is indicated at the same being provided with fiber or analogous disks g and it, "said disks'eachcarrying any suitable electrical contact devices 2' and j. disks and 'h is shown located a contact roller is carried upon said shaft, the same being shown mounted upon a sleeve Z upon the shaft, the sleeve being provided with an lever arm n fulcrumed upon the arm m, as indicated at 79, the opposite end .of the lever arm having a spring connection as indicated at g with an additional arm 1 upon the sleeve. The shaft f, with its electrical contact devices, is rotatable within an insulating cylinder, as of hard rubber, as indicatedat-s, said cylinder being provided with a series of electrical contact devices preferably arranged in three rows extending-circumdevices being indicatedby the letter t shown arranged toward one end of the cylinder. Another row of similar contact devices is shown at u, the same bein indicated toward the opposite end of the cylinder, the cylinder being shown also provided with another set of similar contact devices indicated at a.

It will be understood that the cylinder willbe provided with as many contact devices in each set as there are cylinders in the engine. The contact devices are all insulated one from another circumferentially of the cylinder and extend. through the cylinder to the exterior of a shell in which prefscrews as at as, from which lead wires 1, 2, 3, and 4' to the spark plugs of the engine. The contact devices it of another set are shown electrically connected with a single binding postig which leads, as by a conductor 5, to the coil 6, and the contact devices '0 are electrically connected with. the. binding ,7. The battery 8.is shown connected with the'coil .6 by the conductor 9, and with the engine'by' a conductor 10, the circuit being completed through the engine with the shaft; fund the contact devices is, and thence'back to thebattery. -The contact devices '16 are electrically. connected with-a sin 1e binding .post, was. by conductor 11.; he contact- Patented May 10, 1910..

Application filed January 27, 1908. Serial No. 412,726.

suitable coupling 6. The shaft of the circuit Between the arm m, the roller being carried upon the ferentially there-about, one row of-contact erably incl oses the said cylinder, the contact. devices t-of one set terminating in binding post 2 leading to the coil 6,- as by-a conductor devices 2; are electrically connected, as by a connecting band 12'insulated from the shell '20, the connection 11 being also lnsulated from the, shell, such insulations being indicated at 13 and 14:. The jacket or shell of the cylinder 8 is shown provided with a head 15 and with a head 1'6, ball bearings being provided for each end of the shaft as indicated at 17 and 18. and its jacket are made movable as by a lever arm 19 whereby the same may be-adjusted to advance the spark if desired. It is thus evident that an electrical circuit is made through one of the spark plugs of the engine, whenever the coil circuit is closed, there being but one wire from the battery to .the coil, and-one circuit from the coil to the circuit closer, as many connections leading to the spark plugs of the engine as may be required. For the sake of clearness the adjacent contact points n and it; through which the coil is charged may be termed the primary contact devices; the adjacent contact points a and i the secondary contact devices, and the adjacent contact point if and the sparking contact devices. The primary circuit, as noted, is from the battery through the circuit closer shaft, and primary contact 'devices, to the coil, and thence back to the battery, and is indicated by the single arrow heads. "he secondary, or high tension circuit, is from the coil to the secondary contact devices, thence to the sparking contact devices, thence to the spark plugs of the engine, the current jumping from the spark plugs to the engine case, and passing back to the coil, completing the secpondary circuit, and doing away with any jump spark on the outside. The secondary circuit is indicated by the double arrow heads;

It will be observed that the'contact devices in electrical connection with the shaft are located inadvance of the other contact devices upo-If the shaft. It will also be observed that the contact devices at opposite extremities of the cylinder are arranged to make simultaneous electrical connections with the corresponding contact devices carried by the cylinder.

It Will be evident that in an instrument constructed and arranged as shown, tllL middleroller ic' which is inelectrical contact with the shaft f actuates the coil, The

The cylinder 8,

two outside set of contactdevices serve toswitch the current to the spark mechanism of the engine. The contact devices of the cylinders connected by leads 1, 2, 3, and 4e,

With-the spark plugs of the engine all actu ateacorresponding spark plug alike. The ball bearings are provided with fiber bushings thereabout indicated at 20 and 21. The contact devicesi and j are shown connected by an electrical conductor 22. The high tension current thus onnected with the contact devices it is led to the corresponding contacts t leading to the spark plugs The operation of the device will now be understood.

The engine cylinders, it will be underthe battery. The engine cylinders may be equipped with any suitable spark plugs, the jump spark being on the inside of the cylinder.

W hat I claim as my invention is:

1. An electrical instrument for the purpose described comprising a battery, an induction coil, a cylinder of insulating material, triple circular circumferentially arranged. rows of insulated electrical contact devices carried within the cylinder and extending therethrough, a shaft rotatable within the cylinder provided with plural correspondingly arranged electrical contact devices to form electrical connection with the two outer rows of contact devices of the cylinder, and with an intermediate electrical contact device in electrical circuit with the shaft, and with the intermediate row of the contact devices of the cylinder,'the contact device in circuit with the shaft arranged to be in electrical circuit with the battery through the shaft, and to be connected with leads to the coil, one of the outer rows of the contact devices of the cylinder arranged to be in electrical circuit with the coil, and the other outer row of contact devices of the cylinder arranged to be in electrical contact tact device in circuit with the spark plug leads being insulated from said shaft.

2. An electrical instrumentfor the purpose described, comprisiiig a cylinder of insulating material, triple circular circumferential rows of insulated electrical contact devices carried within the cylinder and extending therethrough, the contact devices of each row being separatedand insulated one from the other by said cyliritlena shaft rotatable within the cylinder provided with corre spending triple electrical contact devices to contact with the adjacent contact devices of the cylinder, one row of the contact devices of the cylinder arranged to be in electrical circuit with a battery through the shaft and with leads to an induction coil, a second row ranged to be in electrical connection with leads to the coil, and the other row of the contact devices of the cylinder arranged to be placed in electrical connection with the second row of contact devices of the cylinder, and being connected with independent spark plug leads. v. A

3. An electrical instrument for the purpose described, comprising a cylinder of invsulating material, triple circular circumferential' rows of insulated electrical contact devices carried within the cylinder and extendwith independent spark plug leads, the conof the. contact devices ofthe cylinder ar-,

stood, may have a ground connection with I ing therethrough, the contact devices of each row being separated and insulated one' from the otherby said cylinder, a shaft rotatable within the cylinder provided with corre-v sponding triple electrical contacts to contact with the adjacent contact devices of the cylinder, one row of the contact devices of the cylinder arranged to be in electrical circuitwith a battery throu'ghthe'shaft and with leads to an induction coil, a second row of the contact devices of the cylinder arranged to be 'in 'electrical connection with leadsto the coil, andthe other row of the contact devices of the cylinder arranged to be placed in electrical connection with the second row of contact devices ofthe' cylinder and being connected with independent spark plug leads, the second row of contact; devices of the cylinder having electrical connections one with the other.

I 4. An electrical instrument for the purpose described, comprising a cylinder of insulating material, triple circular circumferential rows of insulated electrical contact de, vices carried within the cylinder and extending therethrough, the contact devices of each row being separated and insulated the one from the other by said cylinder, a' shaft rotatable within the cylinder provided with corresponding triple electrical contacts to contact with the adjacent contact devices of contact devices of the cylinder having elec-' trical connections the one with the other.

5. An electrical instrument for the purpose described comprising a battery, an induction' coil, a cylinder of insulating material triple circular circumferentially ar-- rangedrows of insulated electrical contact devices carried within the cylinder and extending 'therethrough, a shaft rotatable within the cylinder provided with plural correspondingly arranged electrical contact de vices to form electrical connection with the two outer rows of contact devices of the cylinder, and with an intermediate electrical contact device in electrical circuit with the shaft, and arranged to connect with the intermediate row of the contact devices of the cylinder, the contact device in circuit with the shaft arranged tobe in electrical circuit with the battery through the shaft, and to be connected with leads't'o the coil, one of the outer rows of the contact of the cylinder arranged to be in electrical circuit with electrical. contact with independent spark plug leads, the contact device 1n circuit with said shaft, and said cylinder being'adjust able about said shaft.

6. An electrical instrument $01- the purposedescribed comprising the combination within the cylinder and extending there'- th-rough,a shaft rotatable within the cylinder provided with 'a contact device in elec.- trical circuit with the shaft, and with plural electrical contact devices insulated from the shaft to form electrical connections with the two outer rows of contact devices of the the coi1',":-an;l the other outer row of contact 'devices of the cylinder arranged to be in i with aninte'rnal combustion engine, of a bat-' tery, a cylinder of insulating material, triple j circular circumferentially arranged rows of' K j insulatedfelectrical'j contact devices carried cylinder, an induction coil havingelectrical connection with the battery, the intermediate row of the contact devices of'the cylinder being inelectrical circuit with the bat-- tery through the shaft, and connected with leads to the coil, one of the outer rows of the contact devices of the cylinder. having a single electrical connection with the coil, the other outer row of contact devices of the cylinder being arranged to be placed in elec- I trical contact with the opposite row, and

being connected with independent spark plug leads to the engine.

7. An electrical instrument for the purpose described comprising thecombination with an internal combustion engine, of atriple circular circumferentially arranged rows of insulated electrical contact devices carried within; the cylinder and extending therethrough, a shaft rotatable within the cylinder provided with plural electrical con tacts to ,form electrical connections with the two outer rows of contact devices of the cylinder, and with a contact device in electrical circuit with the shaft to form electrical connection with the intermediate contact devices of the cylinder, an induction coil having electrical connection with the battery, the intermediate row of the Eontact devices of thecylinder being in electrical circuit with the battery through the shaft and connected with leads to the coil, one of the outer rows of the contact devices of thecylinder having a single electrical connection with the coil, and the other outer ro'w ofthe contact devices of the cylinder arranged to form electrical contact with independent spark plug leads to an engine, the shaft being in electrical connection with the engine shaft and rotatable therewith.

8. The combination with a. multiple cylinito 1 battery, a cylinder of insulating material,

lot

der engine 'and' its shafts, of spark lugs "carried by the engine cylinders, a' cy inder v I 79' the spark plug leads being insulated. from &

- of insulating material, triple circular cir- V trical connections with the adjacent contact devices of'the cylinder and with a contact deviceiin electrical circuit with its shaftto form electrical connection with the corresponding contact devices of the cylinder, a batteryelectrically connected with said shaft, an induction coil electrically connected \viththe battery and through theshaft within the cylinder to charge the coil, one

' row of the contact devices of the cylinder being in electrical circuit with the battery through the shaft within the cylinder, a second row of the contact devices of the cylinder having asingle electrical connection with the coil, and the third row of the contact devices of the cylinder arranged to form electricalcontact with the corresponding contact device on the shaft, said coil being also arranged to be brought into electrical connection Witlrseparate spark plug leads to the spark plugs of the engine.

9. An electrical instrument for the purpose described comprising a cylinder of insulating material, triple circular circumferentially arranged rows of insulated contact devices carried withln the cylinder and extending therethrough, a shaft rotatable:

. battery through the shaft and with leads to an induction coil, a second-row of the con tact devices of the cylinder being in electrical connection with leads to-the coil, another row of the contact devices of the cylinder being arranged to be placed in electrical connection with the second row of the contact devices of the'cylinder and being connected with independent sp'arkplug leads,

the contact devices upon the shaft arranged to make simultaneous electrical connections with the corresponding contact devices upon the cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in presence of two witnesses. WILLIAM J. RAPP. Witnesses N, S. VVRIon'r, G. E. MCGRANN'. 

